Walden blasts Obama budget plan
Oregon Congressman speaks at town hall session Saturday
BY Larry Meyer
Argus Observer
Sunday, March 22, 2009 12:52 AM PDT
| |
| Larry Meyer | Argus Observer
Congressman Greg Walden talks to a small audience at the Holiday Inn about stimulus and the budget. |
ONTARIO —Oregon Second Congressional District Congressman Greg Walden had a busy day Saturday.
Walden was in Ontario to visit with two groups in the morning before flying on to meetings in Harney, Grant, Baker and Union counties.
Walden, speaking at a town hall meeting hosted by the Ontario and Nyssa chambers of commerce at the Holiday Inn, criticized the huge price tag of president Obama’s budget proposal.
Walden, utilizing figures from the Congressional Budget Office, asserted the president’s budget is $1.4 trillion annually.
“That is not sustainable,” he said.
Walden mentioned the $1.7 million in stimulus money Ontario received last week to renovate North Oregon Street. Walden said Ontario voters should rename the street after their grandchildren because they will be the people paying for it.
The Republican Congressman also attacked the budget proposal bill because it was rushed through Congress without lawmakers having enough time to read it. Walden expressed concern about how fast the Obama administration is trying to push health care reform, planning to have it in place by June.
“I would like to see health care reform when it is affordable,” he said. “It is a challenge.”
Walden said just about all of the money allotted for transportation projects is going for paving.
“It should have been about big capital construction projects, something that would last long-term,” he said.
Commenting on some of the more questionable stimulus allocations, Walden said Union, New York was given funds to help deal with the homeless.
The town, which is small, did not ask for the money and does not have any homeless people, Walden said.
Another concern, Walden said, is the possible listing of the sage grouse as an endangered species, a decision which may be coming down soon since the 90-day public comment is over. Walden said if the grouse is listed, access to public land in the west would probably be strictly limited, way beyond forcing cattle of the range.
Walden and Colby Marshall, who staffs Walden’s office in La Grande, were flying on to Burns and John Day to discuss the economic situation before going to Baker City and La Grande, where Walden is scheduled to address the state FFA convention.
Walden also convened with members of the Stop Idaho Power group, a grass-roots organization that seeks to route a planned major transmission line outside of the valley.
Walden said the line should go mostly on public land.
“It’s for a public purpose,” he said.
Walden told the group his office regularly corresponds with Idaho Power, communicating to the firm regarding what he has heard from his constituents.
He said Sen. Harry Reid’s bill for super-siting of transmission lines focuses on lines being put in for renewable energy.
Stop Idaho Power members are concerned about any federal involvement in the siting process, other than where it would go through public lands.
Check out more local news at www.argusobserver.com
hellscanyon wrote on Apr 1, 2009 1:54 PM: